Lines and Leads
by Musashi Den
Summary: D deals with the seemingly hopeless half breed son of Meier Link and Charlotte. OC slash. Slight AU. *Based on the movies*
1. Chapter 1

Lines and Leads

"What's that noise?" Came a muffled query. D woke from his light sleep and listened for a few moments.

"The wind." He stated shortly before he went back to dozing. He had spent the day riding through a desert. A few old vehicles and patches of asphalt still remained every few miles but for the most part it was devoid of life. There weren't even sand mantas or buzzards out there. The sun had been unforgiving, so when D came to a lush wooded area he decided to rest. He could hear his horse not too far away, eating grass and drinking from the stream. He estimated he'd been sleeping for about an hour when he heard Left Hand talk.

"It's getting closer." Left hand commented. D tilted his head back a little and inhaled.

"Maybe a storm is coming." D guessed. His eyes snapped open when the faint whirling noise turning into a surly howl. The dark wooded area was suddenly a blaze with light as something shot over it. D sprinted out of the way of a falling tree and grabbed his horse before it could run away scared.

"What is that! A comet!?" Left hand asked. "Let me see."

"It's a...space craft." D said, not entirely certain himself. What ever it was, it crashed into the sand about a mile from the wooded area. D steadied the horse as the earth shook violently. A few moments later a wall of wind and sand blew over D. He aligned himself behind a large birch and held on tightly to his horse as it attempted to get away. When the wind settle he calmed the cyber creature before mounting it.

"I suppose you want to go see what that was." Left hand said. D said nothing. Only nudged his horse with his feet slightly and directed it towards the craft's landing sight. "This is all well and good but you do know what _ 'killed the cat'_, **right**?" D's reply was the same as always: silence.

They reached the crater about forty five minutes later. D took the horse slow, feeling the creatures apprehension. He dismounted and tied the horse to an old lamp post that had been thrust out of the ground by the craft's landing. D soon found himself walking on glass. The heat from the object had crystallized the sand around it. D wasn't phased by the heat, the high temperature was only a mild discomfort. He scanned the craft with his eyes and soon found what might have been a door. He used his sword to wedge it open. When he broke it's seal, the hatch flung open with an angry hiss and a plume of pressurized air. He jumped back, narrowly missing being hit in the face by the door.

"What's in it?" Left hand asked. He materialized in D's palm so he could have a look himself. D flinched a little when he saw what was inside. "It's a kid." Left hand's assessment wasn't quite accurate. The man inside looked more like he was in his late teens. But D knew that was a facade. "It's dinner in a can." Left hand chuckled.

"A dhampir." D said in his usual tone. He raised his sword to the boy's throat, ready to sever his head--

"D..." The boy murmured. He froze. He reached in and grabbed the collar of the boy's tattered white tuxedo shirt and pulled him up.

"Who are you?" D asked shaking him a little. His head stayed up for a moment before it lulled back. Had he imagined it? D sucked his teeth before he gather the boy up and walked him back to the horse.

* * *

D poked at the fire with a stick before he spared a glance at the boy he had taken from the space craft. It took D all of three minutes to recognize him. The boy was the spitting image of Meier Link - only younger. His face was more round, the outline of his eyes were bigger. His skin wasn't the sickly blue that Meier had been but a pale shade of peach. D attributed the boys difference from Meier to the woman he knew to be his mother. Charlotte. The boy had her wavy brown hair - though it was shaved in the back and cut short on top with few soft curls near his ears. The boy certainly didn't look like he came from such rich blood lines. His clothes were tattered and worn. The only thing that wasn't covered in dirt or dried blood was a flat, white opal ring. It's onset colors gleamed in the fire light as it rest on his right middle finger.

The boy was relatively young for a dhampir. Probably a little over two hundred years old. D tried to remember when Meier and Charlotte left for the 'Castle in the Stars'. Had it been two hundred years ago? After they left, the next milestone had been Leila's funeral and that had been seventy years after they left. Her granddaughter had died in her eighties and that was about forty years ago. So yeah, it had been about two hundred years.

"That means it's been three hundred since Doris died." He said to himself.

"Hm? What's that?" Left hand asked. "Reminiscing again."

"Just trying to pin point his age." D replied.

"I can do that." Left hand said as he materialized again. D shifted over and put his hand to the boy's throat. His pulse was slow and steady, a clear indication that he was still asleep. "Hmm...let's see." He took a few moments to gather his information. "I'd say he's about two hundred and thirteen years old, give or take a few days--

"Ahhh!" the boy suddenly shrieked as he jumped out of sleep. D pulled his hand back when he felt a nagged sting in his palm.

"Son of a bitch!" Left hand snarled. "The little bastard stabbed me!" D looked closer and sure enough the boy had a blood covered dagger in his hand.

"Don't touch me you old perv!" The boy said as he tried to move. He found his legs failed him. As he leaned back on one arm it wobbled under his weight. "Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I was just checking to see if you were alright...my name is D." He answered his questions as he took in the boy's form. He was tired and half starved. He could barely hold the large dagger in his hand.

"D? The Dhampir!?" The boy asked. His angry expression turning to that of elation. "I don't believe it. I found you on the first day! And dad said I would die in the landing. I sure showed him." D and Left hand watched the boy ramble on. D only under stood half of what he was saying, he was talking so fast.

"He's insane. I say you eat him." Left hand suggested.

"Who are you?" D simply asked. The boy stopped mid sentence and smiled brightly. He stood up and bowed politely.

"I am Julian Link. My father was the vampire Meier Link." The boy said. "He sent me down here to find you--" Once again D cut him off. Julian gasped when his back hit a tree a second later. He felt the cold steel of D's sword on his neck and froze. "Hold it! Hold it! It's not what you think."

"You're father was a fool to send you here. I'm a vampire hunter and half breeds count." D said. Left hand laughed.

"Slit his throat and let's have a feast."

"No! No! He sent me down here to train under you! Not kill you." Julian said trying to move away from the swords edge. D dropped him.

"Why would I train you?" D asked.

"Well, father said I was weak and I needed to train in order to--

"No." D simply said as he sheathed his sword and started towards his horse.

"What? How can you say no? I need your help and you--

"No." D mounted his horse and started away. Julian trotted after him.

"You're just going to leave me here?" Julian asked. "Why won't you train me?"

"I'm not going to teach you just so you can turn around and kill me. I owe your father nothing and you, less." D explained. "Go back to where you came from. I'm trying to rid this world of your kind."

"You **are** my kind! If you don't help me I'll die." Julian protested as he continued to follow D. All he got was silence from D this time but he still went on. "I'm just trying to live my life like you. You saw how easily you pinned me to that tree. Without proper training I won't last very long."

"You've made it two hundred years without my help." D said.

"How did you know...whatever. I've been up in a floating palace, hiding behind my mother's skirt until now. But father got tired of my weakness. I have never killed in my life. How can you turn away an innocent person asking for your help. Look, I just..." D tuned the boy out as he rode. Concentrating his hearing on the wind and the sound of his horse until the boy's high pitched voice was nothing but a nagging little ring in his ears. After a few hours the sun rose and was just as hot as the day before. The boy slowed down a bit. And his words started to come far and few between. Soon all he was doing was begging. "Please...please..." And soon even that faded.

"He passed out." Left hand stated. But D was well aware of that. The kid had been stricken with heat syndrome. D wasn't so susceptible but Julian was so young. He'd be dead in about an hour. "Why are you going back? He barely has any blood left in him." When D didn't reply Left hand sighed. "You're getting soft in your old age."

* * *

"Tell me what's wrong with him." D demanded as he put his left hand to Julius' chest.

"Slave driver." Left hand muttered before he checked the boy. "Let's see...oy, he's a train wreck. Emaciation. Anemia. The lack of nutrition has him in the early stages of renal failure. He's got athletes foot and he's not circumcised. That enough?" D simply took his hand away. He unsheathed his sword and carefully made a knick on his wrist. Soon it started bleeding profusely and D held it over Julian's open mouth. Once again the boy started out of unconsciousness.

"What are you doing?" He yelled as he tried to move away.

"Keeping you alive." D said. He easily held Julian down and force fed him the blood.

"Stop it! It's disgusting! I don't drink blood...anymore." Julian protested. D relinquished his hold and tended to his small wound. It healed quickly.

"That explains a whole lot. Even you sometimes drink those plasma packs from the hospital." Left Hand said to D. D balled his hand into a fist to silence him. He watched Julian as he slipped back out of consciousness. "My advice is to take that nice ring and leave him in a ditch." D sighed as he lifted Julian off the ground. He jumped on to his horse and started riding, a little faster than his usual meandering pace. He had to find a town before nightfall.

* * *

"What is that?" Julian opened his eyes when his coma was interrupted by the smell of something delicious. His stomach cramped and demanded it be given what ever it was.

"You talk in your sleep." Julian looked at D. The older dhampir was sitting not to far away from where he was laying. Julian looked around the room they were in. "It's a hotel." D clarified.

"What smells so good?" He asked. D simply pointed to the covered tray next to Julian on the bed.

"Eat it."

"Don't gotta tell me twice." Julian said as he uncovered the tray. He looked at the bowl of steaming red liquid and frowned. "I don't drink blood I thought I--

"It's tomato soup." D interrupted. D studied him for a moment. Why couldn't he tell the difference in smells?

"I like tomatoes." Julian said as he picked up the bowl. He nearly spilled it on himself twice before he got it to his mouth. D watched him chug the whole thing and sighed.

"You're going to make yourself sic--" D was interrupted this time. Julian opened his mouth a let out a burp so loud D was sure the dead heard it.

"S'cuse me." Julian said smiling a little. He laid back down. "I feel so tired." He yawned and closed his eyes.

"He's chatty." Left hand commented. D looked at his hand for a moment before focusing on Julian again. He was back asleep.

* * *

"Ah!" Julian yelped when sharp pain woke him. He opened his eyes to find D loaming over him, pinching his cheek - he guessed to wake him. "What--

"Eat it." He simply said as he gave Julian another tray. This had been going on for about a month. All Julian did was eat and sleep. While he was awake he talked D's ear off about whatever nonsense was on his mind at the moment. While he was asleep D went out and looked for solutions to Julius' other problems. He gathered water and had Julian drink at least half a gallon every day to reverse the effects the sun caused on his organs. During the third week D finally saw an improvement. Once he got Julian on solid food, he started to fill out. His cheeks got plumper and his ribs and vertebrae were no longer protruding through his taunt skin. D looked at Julian as he talked. He tuned in. It seemed he was explaining why he was in such bad shape.

"...I saw them carting in all these humans and I never knew where they kept coming from. Father told me long ago that there weren't anymore spaceships that could come to the castle. I finally followed one of my servants and saw them all. Like how humans used to keep live stock - my father and the other vampires were keeping the humans in the lowest basement. Breeding them like animals and eating them when they became old enough. All the food I had ever eaten was humans, just chopped up and served with a side of lettuce. Which I'm pretty sure was made of humans too. So I stopped eating and father became furious. For months I didn't eat and he finally got sick of my weakness. He didn't want to see me waste away to nothing. He put me in that...'pod' and told me to go live with other cowards like myself. No offense." Julian said as he looked up from his sandwich.

"None taken." D said. His response made Julian smile. He finished his sandwich and drank his water and laid down. It was like he inherited more human characteristics than vampire. Julian ate more food in four weeks than D did in the past couple of years. Maybe it was his condition. Maybe it was the fact he had led a sheltered life up until now. He needed to learn to fend for himself. He wasn't a baby anymore.

_'The transition starts tomorrow.'_ D thought. He stood up when he heard Julian snoring and left the room. It was nearly dusk and most of the shops in the town were still open. He decided to get a few essentials for Julian's training. New clothes was the first stop. He picked up something that would protect Julian's skin from the sun, a short cape and a hat. More water and some oil for the cyber horse.

"Something's happening." Left hand said. D looked up when he heard the ruckus too. There was a crowd outside the hotel where he had left Julian. He knew what that meant.

"Get them out. Get them out of our town before they attract others!" One man yelled.

"How dare you harbor them here!?"

"What were you thinking?" Two woman yelled at the old man that ran the hotel. He stood in the doorway, keeping the mob from entering the establishment and burning it to the ground. D decided to go around the back way. The last time he underestimated an angry mob he woke up hanging from a tree.

_'Thought I'd never get that crick out of my neck.'_ He thought as he climbed the stairs to his room. He opened the door to find Julian huddled in the corner, with his legs drawn up to his chest. "Julian." He jumped when he heard D. When he looked up D noticed a gash on his forehead, dripping blood down his forehead and into his left eye.

"D! Thank god you're--

"What happened?" He asked grabbing a wash cloth from the bathroom. He gave it to Julian to clean himself up with.

"I--I was just sitting in the window and the sun got in my eyes. And--and someone saw my eyes while they were red. And--

"Ok. Here get dressed. We're leaving today anyway." D said as he gave Julian his new clothes. Julian did as he was told.

"Tops a little snug." Julian commented. He liked how the high collar of the shirt was loose around his neck. The pants were a little tight too but he didn't mind that as much. He put on his boots and turned to D. "What do you think?"

"Here." D put the cape and hat on him.

"A hat? Really? They're so ugly." Julian said without thinking. D just looked at him, waiting for him to catch what he said. "Except on **you**! You _ really_ pull it off, D. Totally...sexy."

"Come on." D said. They slipped out the way D had come in, mounted the horse and rode off before the towns people were any the wiser.

"I don't get it." It wasn't long before Julian started talking. "I'm just a Dhampir. I don't even drink blood. Why were they so angry?"

"It doesn't matter whether you're a whole or just a half. To them a vampire is a vampire. There are few people on this planet that see the difference." D answered. Julian looked over his shoulder at the quickly fading town.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

Lines and Leads page 2

D was faintly aware that Julian was rocking from side to side on the saddle behind him. At first he thought the boy was just entertaining himself - dancing to a song he was playing in his head or something. But as of thirty minutes ago, Julian had started to squeak too. D didn't realize he had been tuning Julian out again.

"...aren't you listening to me? Do I have to jump off. D, stop this horse or I'm going to piss myself!" Julian whined. D stopped and Julian tried to dismount gracefully. He failed. Julian ended up flopping to the ground like a fish out of water. He scrambled to his feet and ran off to relieve himself in some nearby trees. "Oh...whoo!" Julian sighed loudly. D dismounted and let the horse drink from a nearby river. As he waited for Julian he stretched. They had been riding since last night and it was nearly dawn now. D could usually go days and barely stop, but with a young dunpeal in tow he'd have to adjust until he whipped Julian into shape. If it could be done.

Julian whistled as he zipped his pants. He straightened out his clothes and massaged his sore bottom. "Father told me he was inhuman but geez. Twelve hours of riding and he doesn't even have to pee." He said to himself. A rustling in the bushes behind him gave him a start. He slowly started moving back towards where he left D. When something emerged he froze. He looked at the animal for a moment, trying to remember what it was.

"A bunny!" he said, quite proud of himself for remembering. He watched the fluffy gray creature hop around and sniff the ground. He crouched down and smiled at it when it noticed him. "You scared me little guy." It continued to stare in his direction but the rabbit was not looking at him. It was watching something creep along the ground behind him. The rabbit's ears suddenly went flat against it's head and it bolted in the opposite direction.

"You feel that?" Left hand asked. D suddenly looked towards the trees.

"Julian!" D called as he ran to where the boy had gone.

"Ahhh!" Julian let out terrified shriek as he was seized by the ankle and dragged off into the woods. He was haled off the ground and held over the face of a very large demon with at least a hundred tentacles. Julian didn't even see it's camouflaged body until it rolled over and opened it's one, crimson eye. It roared it's excitement over finding it's next meal. "D!" He screamed as he struggled to get his leg free. "Come on. Come on! Razor sharp bat wings would be handy right about now." Julian willed himself to form the wings he knew he inherited from his father. But all he managed to do was screech like a bat.

"You're a special one indeed little one." The demon said as he looked over Julian. It's voice was impossibly deep and it's chuckle made it's whole body vibrate.

"It's talking to me...I'm in trouble. Come on, bat wings damn it!" Julian muttered to himself.

"When I scented a virgin in the area I never thought it would be a boy. I was hoping for a young maiden for breakfast. But I guess you'll do." It taunted as it moved more tentacles to hold Julian's arms. D seemed to come out of nowhere and sliced two before they could reach him.

"What the hell is this thing doing out here? Shouldn't it be in some water?" Left hand asked as D got ready for another attack.

"There's probably a lake at the end of that river."

"Two dunpeals for breakfast. It must be my lucky day." The demon said as it went after D. D easily dodged it but was caught off guard when it flung Julian at him. They collided in mid air. Julian's wings finally popped out his back and he grabbed D and slowed them down before they hit the ground. D's eye brow lifted ever so slightly at the sight of them.

"Get out of here." He said. Julian moved to take flight only to have his wings disappear into his back.

"Shi-" The demon snatched him up again and swept the ground to keep D busy.

"I usually like a fight but something tells me you two are gonna be tricky. So you go night-night now, little one." It said. Julian closed his mouth and turned his head away when it tried to force a tentacle in his mouth.

"Beyond gross." He whined through his teeth. The tentacle holding him suddenly squeezed him tighter. "Ahhh!" when he gasped for air the thick slimy thing took the opportunity. "Egh!" Julian gagged but it kept going when it reached the back of his throat. As it travel down his esophagus it cut off his air ways. He twitched as he lost the fight for consciousness.

"Damn it." D swore. The demon chuckled as it moved it's tentacle in and out of Julian's mouth.

"Virgins, I love them. They really are the best." It laughed. Left hand snickered. As it gloated D stabbed it in the eye. It roared and while it was distracted D used his speed to chop it to pieces. He caught Julian and high tailed it out of there. It probably wasn't dead but it was definitely pissed. D knew it wouldn't wonder far from it's water source. He gathered the horse and quickly rode in the opposite direction.

"The kid is dead." Left hand stated after a while. D stopped suddenly. He dismounted and laid Julian out on the ground.

"He can't possibly be that fragile. Check-

"I'm on it." Left said as he materialized. D placed him over Julian's face and slowly moved downward. "Lower...Lower...Low-wait there. Push really hard right here!" D balled up his fist and drove it into Julian's stomach.

"Blu-eck!" Julian turned on his side and threw up part of a tentacle and a few chunks of foamy, lime green, slime. Afterwards he gasped for air in between hacking up more of whatever that thing had put in him. D guessed it was some sort of natural sedative. He handed Julian the canteen.

"Why'd you say he was dead?" D asked Left hand.

"His pulse had stopped. He wasn't breathing. He felt dead." Left hand answered. D pressed him to Julian's back.

"Is he alright now?"

"Yeah."

"Are you talking to yourself?" Julian asked. He had been meaning to ask D that. He had caught the older man muttering to himself a couple of times.

"No." D answered truthfully. "I have a sentient symbiote in my left hand." Julian just looked at him.

"Father warned me you were a little off your rocker." Julian said shaking his head slowly. D just held up his hand and Left hand materialized.

"Hi, sweat heart." He chuckled.

"Ahh!" Julian shrieked. After his initial shock he found his curiosity getting the better of him. He studied Left hand before experimentally poking him in the face.

"Hey, watch the goods." Left hand said.

"D, is it ok if we rest for a while?" Julian asked.

"Let's put more distance between us and that thing." D said as he mounted the horse. Julian scrambled on behind him.

* * *

Julian was taking in the features of a dandelion as he sat in the shade of a large oak tree. It was nearly noon and D decided it was a good time to stop and rest until the sun wasn't as strong. Julian looked up from his flower when D suddenly stepped on it. He glared up at the older man and it occurred to him that D didn't do it intentionally. "We leaving already?" he asked standing up.

"Here." D said as he held out his sheathed sword. Julian held out his hands and D dropped the sword into them.

"Uuf!" Julian was nearly dragged to the ground under it's weight. When he steadied himself he looked like he was still having trouble holding it up. "Whoa! This weighs a ton." D also dropped what appeared to be a rock with a handle. "What's that for?"

"To sharpen it. You'll sharpen it every week, have it ready for me when I need it. If you are slow on the uptake, I can't defend us from whatever is out here and we'll both die." D explained.

"I have to carry it too?" Julian asked looking over the long sword. It was almost as tall as him and probably trumped his weight by fifty pounds.

"Yes. I'm also going to teach you how to use it so you're not so useless in a fight."

"I'm not useless-

"I also need to know what you can already do."

"Which shouldn't be too hard seeing how you like to talk." Left hand added as D took a seat under the tree.

"Well I-" D interrupted Julian by snapping his fingers. D pointed to the sword when Julian looked at him.

"Multi-task." Julian glared at him for a second before he unsheathed it. He was relieved to find the sword weighed half as much without the case. He held it by the handle and started at the base.

"Well for one thing I actually know how to do this. You'd be amazed what they had up there." He said referring to the castle in space. "But yeah, the wings are pretty much the only thing I had up my sleeve. This atmosphere has completely zapped what little strength I had. Father told me the sun and gravity would slow me down but because I was a dhampir it wouldn't kill me. Mother insisted that my life not revolve around training or violence. I spent most of my time in the library. I can tell you the exact circumference of the planet. Who Richard Nixon was. What a bobbin does. Speak several different languages but other than book smarts-

"You're useless." Left hand interrupted.

"So does hanging out with you two mean that I'll never get to finish another sentence uninterrupted?" Julian asked sarcastically.

"God, it's like he inherited all the weaknesses of both races and none of the strengths." Left hand said. Julian glared at the mouthy appendage.

"He just needs to be trained. Every vampire - half breed or not - started out like him." D said.

"Even you?" Left hand asked. Julian looked at D, waiting for him to answer. D fell silent.

* * *

"Again."

"Ha!"

"Again."

"Ha!"

"Again." D repeated as he watched Julian pull his long sword from the sheath to swipe in front of him.

"Ha!" This time when Julian did it he nearly fell over from the force he put behind it. He staggered around and D shook his head slowly.

"You need to get there faster." D said. He suddenly lunged at Julian.

"Eek!" Julian dropped the sword and ran away from him. Left hand burst into laughter.

"I love this kid. He's a comedic genius." Left hand said. D growled and made sure Left hand could see his nails before he dug them into his palm as he made a fist.

"Sorry. You surprised me." Julian apologized as he picked up the sword.

"That was the point." D said and did it again. This time getting a lot closer and baring his teeth.

"Eek!" Julian held up the sword this time. D could see he was still scared.

"Better." D commented. "Sheath the sword. Hold it above you head. Do fifty squats."

"But my arms are already killing me-

"Make it one hundred." D said as he sat down near the fire. Julian groaned as he did what he was told.

"How am I gonna survive if you work me to death." He muttered. D suddenly lunged at him again. "Eek!" Julian yelped as he pulled the sword. But D didn't stop this time. He grabbed Julian by the throat and slammed him against the tree behind him. Julian's vision blurred for a second. He gasped for air as D squeezed his neck tighter. "What are you...D stop it...Ah!" The rest of the air in his lungs was knocked out of him when D punched him in the gut. He spit up blood.

"I'm gonna kill you." D said.

"Why..."

"I'm gonna kill you unless you defend yourself." D explained. Julian reaffirmed his slipping grip on the sword and thrust it up. D easily dodged his slow movement. Julian inhaled sharply when his air ways were clear again. D punched him again and Julian stumbled to the side. When D lunged at him he held the sword out and D stopped. He just narrowly missed impaling himself on the tip. "Better." he said before he went back to the fire. Julian just stared at him. "Why are you just standing there? You got squats to do."

"..." Julian just sheathed the sword and went back to his exercises. He kept an eye on D though. He flinched every time D made the slightest movement. He scratched his nose once and poked at the fire three times.

"Sixty seven...sixty eight, come on keep up the pace." D said. Julian did as he was told and gasped when D scratched his nose again.

Julian thanked god when he was done. He fell backwards where he was and closed his eyes. D's voice nearly made him jump out of his skin. "Did you forget? You've got sharpening to do."

"But-

"It's been a week. Sharpen it." D demanded. Had it been a week? He was too tired to argue. Julian propelled himself up and crawled to where D had placed the rock. He nearly had his hand on it when D suddenly kicked him in the stomach.

"Ahhh! Bastard!" Julian screamed as he threw the rock at D. He was back on his feet in a second. Holding the sword out in front of him, ready for D to attack him again. "Come on!"

"That's the type of speed I was talking about."

"Eh?" Julian grunted. He was so wired on adrenaline he was shaking. His entire body was sore and his side still ached from where D hand just kicked him.

"Get some rest." Julian opened his mouth to say something but then closed it. He sheathed the sword and set it near D. He then promptly passed out.


	3. Chapter 3

Lines and Leads page 3

Julian woke the next day already straddling the horse. His hat was tipped down far over his face to protect him from the mid-morning sun. He looked down at the arms that circled around him and held the reigns. He put his hand over one and looked up. "D?" D kept his eyes ahead. "Why are we traveling during the day?" he asked. "Did something happen?"

"Someone needs a demon hunter." D said. "A messenger came while you were sleeping. I figured if I shielded you from the sun and kept you covered it wouldn't effect you so much. Now that you're awake we can go faster." He kicked the horse and it took off. Julian fell back into D and steadied himself on the older man.

"So what kind of demon is it?" he asked.

"A specter. Like Carmella." D answered. He felt Julian tense, heard his heart speed up at the mention of Bloody Carmella. No doubt his parents told him about how the mere spirit of the countess nearly killed them all. The memory of her suddenly brought a question to D's mind.

"Julian, how did Charlotte survive? I'm certain that Carmella killed her."

"Father couldn't bare the thought of losing her so he turned her."

"Vampires can have children but if he changed her, why are you a half breed?"

"I was actually conceived before their sojourn. They had been having an affair for quite some time before everyone else caught on. In fact the reason father came for her was because he found out she was pregnant with me. Then the bounty was put on their heads. They went to Carmella for the ship. She was turned and I spent six months growing in an artificial womb." D remembered those things. Centuries ago, before the Earth was thrown into chaos it was a rich person fad to have your baby grown in a lab instead of having it naturally. Now the technology was long gone along with the knowledge to operate them properly. Not to say that medical techniques now were lacking.

"They had that technology?"

"You'd be surprised what's up there, D." Julian said as he looked up at the sky. D had a hard time believing a vampire sanctuary really existed in space. Mostly everything the humans sent up into space came crashing back down within ten years unless it was constantly tended to. But he supposed an entire city of vampires could obtain the knowledge to maintain such a feat.

They reached the town just around dusk and left the horse just outside an inn on a post. "Will he be ok there?" Julian asked as he looked back at the cyber creature.

"Pay attention." D told him as they approached the only man on the street.

"Are ya' tha' hunter?" He asked. His accent had what was once known as a 'southern slur' to it. He looked about thirty years old. His hair and skin made him look like he spent a lot of time in the sun. He wore an odd looking dark blue jumpsuit and a white hard hat.

"Yes." D answered.

"Great. You came just in time. I'sume tha' messenger told ya' bout our situation?" The man asked.

"Yes." The man looked at D when he answered shortly again.

"This old mansion is in tha' way of our towns progress. No one wants ta' live in it cause it's haunted and it's become a den for demons. And we can't tear it down until tha' spirit is exercised and tha demons a'killed. I don't want my men goin' in thar' anymore. Two have a'ready been mauled and one is currently in the psyche ward at tha' hospital. Won't stop screaming bout his father returning from tha' dead and not being able ta' escape 'tha poison', what ever that is."

D looked at the old decayed mansion for a moment. It was an old, three story, plantation house, complete with a wrap around porch and large pillars that connected to the upper levels. It looked out of place among the other houses in the town. Most of which were either new or remodeled. There were building tools and materials strewn over the front lawn. A simple line of yellow tape was blocking the entry to the porch. D just pulled it off and walked up the stairs to the door. "I'll leave ya' to it then. I'll have ya' payment for ya' only if yall succeed and don't end up in tha' _'looney bin'_ too." He walked away quickly. He spared a looked at Julian as he followed D inside. There was something off about the two of them but the man couldn't figure out what it was. What were two young boys like them doing being demon hunters?

"What do you think? Humans just being superstitious or is this 'Carmella' serious?" Julian asked.

"Might as well find out and get paid." Left hand said. "There are definitely demons in there. They stink."

"I've got something for you." D said as he summoned Julian closer with his hand. "Hold still." Julian did as he was told and went rigid when D leaned in close to his right ear. A sharp pain suddenly shot through his lobe.

"Ah!" He yelped in surprise. "What--"

"It's a transmitter." D said and then pointed to the stud in his own ear. "We're going to split up. You take upstairs I'll go down. I'll be able to hear you if you need help. Just press it."

"Shit. It doesn't come in _'clip on'_ form." Julian said as he checked to see if he was bleeding.

"Isn't that cute. He gave you a ring, are you 'going steady' now?" Left hand said sarcastically. D didn't say anything as he turned and went into the house. Julian followed him. The air inside smelt of mold and decay. Everything was covered in dust and cob webs. The few pieces of furniture that remained in the house were torn and old, most of it sat out of place or tipped over.

"Wait D." Julian said. "Your sword."

"You take it." D held up his left hand. "I've got this." Julian nodded and watched as D disappeared into the darkness to the left of the foyer. The floor boards didn't even creak underneath his steps. Julian took a deep breath before he started up the main stair case. The landing split in two different directions and Julian went to the left. As he searched the house for the specter he only found little demons hanging about. They were nothing a little stomp of a boot couldn't get rid of. They probably just hung around to feed off the specter's power. Which it probably got from the tormented souls of humans. Julian briefly wondered if D knew how to perform an exorcism.

The hall circled around and Julian soon found himself in the master suite. There was a deteriorated canopy bed in the center of the room. As he progressed in an old vanity mirror gave him a start when his pale form was reflected in it. The armoire on the opposite wall was devoid of clothes save for an old suit jacket. Julian looked at the vanity again. It didn't look like a woman's vanity. It's dull, squared off design suggested it belonged to a man.

_'The man did say one of his workers saw visions of his father. Maybe this place belonged to an old bachelor who wanted a family.'_ Julian thought. As he moved out the room he suddenly scented cologne. A cologne that was all too familiar. Like fresh lavender and rain water. He heard the flap of leathery wings and turned around. "Father!" He gasped, clearly seeing Meier not ten feet away from him.

"Julian, my darling boy." Meier said as a warm smile curled his thin lips. He extended his arms, his cape flowing out and spilling rose petals through out the room. "Come to me. Come home to your father." Julian froze.

"You smell that?" Left hand asked. D sniffed the air and his nose crinkled. "Smells like Jasmine. You know who used to smell like Jasmine?"

"Father." D said when he noticed the figure in the dark dining room with him.

"Hello, D." D's expression didn't change upon seeing the man who sired him. He knew it was a false image projected by the specter. The being had invaded his mind as soon as he left Julian. Plus, his father didn't call him 'D'. But he humored the vision as it stood on the other side of the tipped over dining room table. He stepped back when it righted itself. The room suddenly restored itself. Candles appeared on the table and filled the room with it's glow. "It's been a long time, son."

"Tsk." D sucked his teeth. The specter could read his thoughts after all. Of course it found what the man usually called him. D hated it.

"Why don't you sit down and have some dinner with your old man." He said. Something suddenly slammed down on the long table. D twitched when he saw it was Julian. "It's your favorite. I know you like 'em young." Out of sheer reflex D reached for the boy just to have the entire illusion dissipate around him.

"You sick of this yet? Can I eat him?" Left hand asked. D bolted from the room and back into the main foyer when he heard Julian's surprised yelp. Another vision of his father appeared on the stairs, holding a very conscious Julian. D could hear a rapid heart beat but he wasn't sure if it was coming from the boy in front of him or somewhere else in the house. Who knew how deep the specter was in his mind now.

"You always had such good taste, D." His father said as he ran a clawed hand through Julian's mahogany curls. He grabbed a fistful and yanked Julian's head back to expose his neck. D moved to stop him but his father bit Julian and the boy's scream halted him. That was real. But the one in front of him was not. The screamed came through the transmitter. He used Left hand to suck up the illusion and ran upstairs. He put his foot through the closed door of the master suite and surveyed the room. Julian went flying past him and slammed into the vanity. He tumbled to the floor and struggled to his feet. One hand held D's sword tightly. The other clamped over a wound on his neck.

"Foolish little dunpeal." The illusion of Meier laughed.

"Bastard!" Julian lunged for him. He stabbed the specter and punched it in the face. It just laughed. Julian growled and bared his sharp little fangs. "See how you like it!" He bit the false Meier.

"No!" D moved to stop him but it was too late. Julian shrieked as the poison inside the specter exploded on his face. He staggered around and tried to wipe it off, dropping the sword in the process. He screamed again as he fell to his knees. D grabbed the sword and sliced through the specter. It howled and turned to a plume of smoke.

"Now!" Left hand said and opened wide to suck in the essence of it. The house suddenly fell silent. D noticed the darkness faded a little. The light from the moon making it in through the windows as the spirit's barrier on the house was lifted. The little demons moved away from Julian when D approached him. D could smell burned flesh. The poison inside the specter must have been a corrosive acid as well. It explained why the man who hired them thought his workers had been mauled.

"Let me see, Julian." D said grabbing his wrist. Julian still kept his head down.

"It hurts..." he whined.

"It will heal. Let me see." D demanded. Julian slowly lifted his head looked at the older man. He knew the damage was bad when D suppressed a gasp.

"Is it bad?" Julian asked. He knew a lot of the skin around his mouth had been burned off. And it seemed he had temporarily lost sight in his right eye. D surveyed the damage. The acid had eaten through his cheeks, in some spots all the way through to his teeth. On the right side it looked like it splashed into his eye. The normally golden, hazel iris had gone pale blue. Half the lid and all his eye lashes eaten away.

"It will heal." D assured him again. He pulled the loose collar of Julian's shirt up and used one of his scarves to cover the damage. He sheathed his sword and handed it to Julian before he gathered the boy in his arms. He left the house quickly and checked in at the local hotel. He stashed Julian in their room and went to collect his money.

The man who hired him did a thorough walk through of the old mansion. He even demolished a wall to make sure the angry specter wouldn't come back when a piece of his house was destroyed. The man commended D for a job well done and doubled what he paid him.

"Sweet." Left hand commented. As D walked back to the hotel he spoke up again. "So what are you going to do about the kid. The pain will send him into shock soon. With those injuries he probably won't last the night."

"Wouldn't be the first time." D said. He stopped off at the small bakery inside the hotel to get some food and water. Julian would need it. Hell, even he was feeling a bit peckish after that ordeal.

D entered the room quickly when he heard Julian groaning. He walked over to the bed to find the boy had broken out in a sweat. When D looked at his burns they had spread. "The acid is still on him." Left hand said. D lifted Julian from the bed and found the source of the sweat was a fever. "Geez he's on fire. How'd an infection spread so fast?" D carried Julian to the bathroom and turned on the shower as cold as it would go. He pulled Julian out of his clothes and dropped him in the cold water that was filling the tub. The young dhampir shrieked and scrambled to get out. D easily held him under the spray of the water. Julian just screamed louder as the water stung his wounds. He clawed at D's hands, trying to get out of his grasp.

After about twenty minutes in the cold water, his fever broke and D ended what seemed like torture to Julian. The acid had eaten away nearly all the skin on the right side of his face. He started to cough up what looked like clotted blood. "He's dying." Left hand stated. D sighed and brought his right wrist to his mouth. He bit himself, making sure to get the biggest vein he could. "What are you doing?"

"..." D just put his wrist to what was left of Julian's lips.

"No...no..." Julian protested as he tried to move away. D lost patience. He was tired and playing nurse to an uppity little brat wasn't his favorite pass time. He grabbed a fistful of the back of Julian's hair and held him in place. Soon enough instinct took over and Julian started lapping greedily at D's wrist. "Mm..." His eyes rolled back before he closed them.

D knew that blood would do the trick. Julian's face healed within five minutes. He stopped fidgeting and raised his hands to hold D's wrist. D tried to keep his fingers from twitching. When Julian dragged his tongue across the wound it sent little pin pricks through his arm. But he let Julian feed until he was sure the blood had eradicated the acid from Julian's system. He finally pulled his arm away when Julian's tongue was accompanied by the brush of very sharp, little fangs. The younger dhampir whined in protest. He reached out for D but lost his balance and ended up face planting into the older man's lap.

"Comedic genius." Left hand laughed.

* * *


	4. Chapter 4

Lines and Leads page 4

Author's note: Ok, you have to know by now this story is slash so don't hate me for this chapter. You knew it was coming, I warned you....and if I didn't I'm warning you now. I changed the end of this chapter and I like this way better.

~Musashi

* * *

"Thank you." D looked up from the fire at Julian when he spoke. D had saddled up and left the town as soon as Julian fell asleep. He thought it was best after the racket Julian had made when he was suffering from 'the poison'. Now they were miles away in another woodland area. They camped out in the remains of an old gazebo. Julian had woken up during the ride there and had been oddly quiet the whole time. So when he finally did speak D listened.

"For what?" D asked.

"Everything." Julian answered after a moment. "Everything you've done for me. You were right when we met. You owed me nothing and you didn't have to help me. And I know sometimes I can be....um....--

"Bitchy. A pain in the ass. A cry baby." Left hand said. They both looked at him.

"Anyway I just wanted to um....thanks, thank you." Julian stammered. He looked down and fidgeted when D just stared at him. How anyone managed not to squirm under his ever intense gaze was a mystery to Julian. It wasn't the color of his eyes that made it so intimidating. Julian discovered D's eyes were a very nice deep shade of periwinkle. They were pretty. Julian just didn't know how pretty got translated into intimidating. "I don't know how I could ever repay you."

"You don't have to. You've started to earn your keep. In fact...." D trailed off as he reached inside his cape. He pulled out a little sack of money. "Here's your cut."

"You're paying me for falling for an illusion, getting poisoned and then feeding off you?" Julian asked as he moved over to take it.

"You fought instead of running away. And you didn't get killed." D said.

"What am I supposed to do with it?" Julian asked as he looked inside the sack at the silver coins.

"Anything you want." D said as he detached his sword from his back. He handed it to Julian. "You're up to 250 now, right?" Julian smiled as he took the sword.

"Right."

* * *

D watched as Julian walked off. After another days journey they reached another town just around noon. This particular town seemed to be in the middle of a venders festival. Julian returned to his normally giddy self and went off to explore. D let him, smiling a little himself when the excited young dunpeal called him over so he could see something at one of the booths. It had nearly been a year since D found him, about seven months that he had been training him. His progression was steady and D had to admit-- "You're getting attached to him." Left hand stated before D's mind formed the thought.

"And you?" D asked, allowing himself a smirk.

"He's not my type." Left hand countered. "But I'm watching you."

They spent the day blending in with the rest the humans. Looking at pin wheels and other little knick knacks for sale. Sampling wine that was made by the locals out of grapes from the nearby orchid. D liked the wine. It was something he hadn't indulged in a while. But seeing Julian enjoy it so much made D wonder if it was really as good as he made it seem. It was. Smooth with an after tang that only good wine had. It left a sweet taste in his mouth.

"My god. Are you enjoying yourself?" Left hand asked. D ignored him and silently willed the alcohol to intoxicate the parasite. At dusk the festival closed up for the day and Julian came to D with an excited look on his face. D knew he wanted something.

"Can we stay the night here? Please!" Julian begged. D just looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate. "They're going to do a fire works display in an hour and tomorrow morning the carnival will be open. And look I got us some cheese cake and the inn is right there. Please D." His eye brows went up when D smiled at him. He had never done that before. Or if he had Julian must've blinked and missed it.

From their room they had a perfect view of the fireworks. Julian sat in the open window and watched the display. D watched for a while but then he took a greater interest in the wine he had purchased. He had particularly liked this one and didn't mind paying for a whole bottle. He poured a glass for Julian and gave it to him. The young dunpeal was already tipsy, D could see it in his movements. Julian's attention soon turned from the fire works to the cake he had bought. D sat at the table and watched as he unwrapped it. There were two pieces, both covered on top with sliced strawberries. Their juices dripping down the sides of the off-white cake.

Julian nicked off a piece with his fingers and ate it. His eyes rolled back and he moaned. D watched him intrigued. "Oh my god." he sighed. "Amazing." He plucked off another piece along with a strawberry. He finished his piece, taking his time to savor every last bite. He noticed D watching him out the corner of his eye and smiled. "Want some?" he asked.

"Boy is that a loaded question." Left hand chuckled. D looked up at Julian when he moved over to him. He stood between D's legs and slid the cake closer with one hand. He pulled off a piece and bent over so he could see under the rim of D's hat. His ever blank expression impossible to read. But Julian wasn't concerned with that. He held the piece to D's lips and the older man simply opened his mouth and swept the piece from between Julian's fingers with his tongue.

"Mm." D moaned softly. It really was good cake. Light and creamy. The next bite had strawberries on it. But they were only half as sweet as the skin he tasted this time.

"Great, you're both drunk. Break it up love birds." Left hand said. They both ignored him. A smirk curled the corner of D's lips as Julian fed him the last of the cake. He glanced up and quirked an eye brow as he watched Julian lick his fingers clean. D suddenly stood up. He grasped Julian's chin in one hand and kissed him full on the lips. The younger dunpeal went rigid. "Whoa." Left hand had a bird's eye view from Julian's chin as D pushed his tongue past his yielding lips. Left hand was suddenly pushed into Julian's hair. D held the back of Julian's head so tight Left hand had to retreat into D's skin or suffocate.

Julian willed himself to breathe through his nose as D devoured his mouth. Something pulsed within him and he brought his arms up and wrapped them around D's shoulders. His hands roamed up into D's soft hair. He clumsily knocked D's hat off. A need to feel more of the older man seemed to come out of no where. Sure he admired D and would do anything--

"Mm!" Julian moaned in surprise when D moved his right hand down to grip his ass. What had made D so ravenous? The wine? The cake? A combination of centuries without intimacy and Julian's willingness to please him. Julian pulled at D's clothes. Trying to find the way to take them off. What little focus he had shattered when D's cool hand slid down the front of his pants. Impossibly smooth finger tips ran down sensitive skin. Cupping and squeezing tender flesh until Julian broke the kiss to gasp for air. His breathing was so labored all of a sudden. He arched into D's touch. He gripped D's shoulders and cried out when one long finger ran the length of his perineum and penetrated him.

D suddenly pushed him back. Julian was thrown off balance and fell back on the bed. D loomed over him for a moment before he stripped quickly. He then pulled Julian out of his clothes. Rational thought returned to Julian for a moment and with it, nervousness. Julian just looked up at him. D's body was so....perfect. Every muscle toned to perfection. Every inch of his skin smooth and flawless. Julian focused on D's erection but only had a second to study it. D leaned over and turned Julian on his hands and knees. Julian soon felt the older dunpeals weight on his back as he leaned over him.

"D.....wait--uh!" Julian's protest was silenced with another kiss. D used one hand to rub Julian's nipples while the other began to prepare him. Julian turned his head away from the kiss and moaned. D's fingers hurt a little but he pulled them out. Julian wondered for a moment what he was doing when D moved to stand on his knees. "AH!" he shrieked when he was suddenly breached by something thicker. He tried to move away but D held his hip with one hand as he guided his erection in with the other. A burning pain flared to life at the intrusion and spread up his back. Julian tried to relax. Tensing up when another inch was pushed in only made it hurt more. Two inches, then three. Two more and Julian cried out. D just got thicker and thicker. At six he felt something in him tear. "Ow!" His pain filled yelp was like music in D's ears. By eight inches Julian thought he was going to die. D was all the way in, his hips flush against Julian's plump buttocks. Julian couldn't hold back the tears that flowed down his cheeks. "Wait--"

D ignored his breathy pleas and pulled nearly all the way out before thrusting back into the boy. He was so agonizingly tight. And every time he screamed his inner walls convulsed along D's length. D felt himself losing control. There was no voice of reason. The smell of Julian's blood only made it worse. He pushed in harder and delighted in the mewl of pleasure he forced from Julian. D had struck an erogenous spot hidden inside him. Julian's hands fisted in the sheets. Soon he was pushing back against D's hard thrusts just to get him to touch that spot again.

"Oh god, please....." Julian arched his back and moaned. D watched as the young dunpeal move his hand between his legs. D slid one around Julian's hip and beat him to his destination. D gripped Julian's erection and squeezed it, cutting off what would have been the boy's climax. "No...." he whined as he came down from his denied apex. D let go and grabbed Julian's arms. He pulled Julian up so his back was to his chest. He let his hands rove over Julian as he writhed against him. He teased Julian's length, played with his foreskin, and stroked his perineum until he was trembling.

D continued for what felt like hours. Alternating between going hard and fast to slow and impossibly deep. Every time Julian neared his peak D would deny him and then tease him mercilessly. He'd drag his fangs along Julian's neck, nip at his little ears and kiss him so deep it stole his breath. The dried blood on his thighs was becoming uncomfortable. His skin was drenched in sweat and he just couldn't take anymore. Julian thought D was going to prolong it again but this time when D wrapped his hand around his cock he began pumping it in unison with his deep thrusts into him. Julian delighted in the feel of D's cool skin against his overly heated flesh. He turned his head to the side to meet D's lips in one more searing kiss. God, he tasted good. D felt his balls tense. The overwhelming need finally got to him. He couldn't control himself. Before he even realized what he was doing he was sinking his fangs into Julian's neck.

"D!!!" Julian called his name when he was consumed by his orgasm. He felt D bite him and was pushed higher by the unexpected sensation. He felt light headed as he was set adrift on the intense waves of pleasure that flooded his system. He convulsed around D and the older dunpeal ejaculated deep inside him. All he heard of D's orgasm was a brief hitch in his slightly heavier breathing. D finally let him go and Julian passed out into a sweaty heap on the bed.

* * *

Julian wasn't at all surprised the next day when he was plagued by terrible soreness. Each step he took was a battle. Skin that was already rubbed raw slid against the seam of his pants. The bruises on his thighs and arms arched dully. The air scratched his hoarse throat when he inhaled. Left hand had asked why he wasn't riding the horse today in a tone that said he knew exactly why. D had fucked him raw for two and a half hours last night. Left hand told them to stop but they had ignored him. They didn't discover the reason why until the next morning.

Upon closer inspection of the town, it turned out the 'festival' was in celebration of love. One the town had every year. The wine they enjoyed so much of was laced with a potent aphrodisiac. Turned out it was a local custom. It even said so on the label. Julian wanted to believe what they felt last night wasn't all from the wine. He knew for himself it wasn't. But D....He looked up at the man for a moment. He hadn't said a word to him all day. Was he ashamed? Did he regret it? Julian wanted to ask but couldn't find the nerve to do so.

"You're still bleeding, you know that?" Left hand asked loudly. That got both their attention. "It's driving old 'stone face' here crazy." Julian noticed D's nostrils flared just a little before he glanced down at him. Julian avoided his gaze and opted to look ahead of them. He could smell water and heard the faint sound of it too. Julian kept walking. "I know it's not your 'style' but maybe you should **talk** to him." he said to D.

"....."

They reached the water source soon enough and Julian was glad to find it was a lake in the center of a crowd of tall oak trees. Their long branches had plenty of leaves and moss to shade him from the sun. Julian looked around for a minute, surveying the area for any possible dangers. He didn't sense anything more dangerous than a deer so he started to undress. He was very aware that D was watching him. He knew D was looking at the bite wound on his neck. It was already half way healed but the color marred Julian's peachy skin with blue and purple blotches just like the rest of his bruises.

"You're drooling." Left hand chuckled. D turned away to tie the horse to a tree branch. "You should take a dip too. The kid's scent is all over you." D would never say he liked it but he knew Left hand knew. They both knew it was a dangerous endeavor for D to be fond of something. Especially in a sexual way. It was nearly the same for just about anyone. It made people sloppy - constantly wondering if their loved one was ok. How would he never be able to fight again if he was worrying over Julian. "You do that anyway." Left hand commented.

"What?" D queried.

"You already worry about the kid a lot. You make sure he eats. You protect him when he sleeps. You were checking his hair for lice just two days ago."

"He asked me to." D said.

"My point is that you already worry about him. I gotta say he's picked up the training really well. Soon you'll have nothing to worry about."

"Weren't you just telling me not to get involved with him, just a few hours ago."

"Yeah but that was before you started this sad, pining thing you're doing right now. It doesn't suit you. I thought I'd never say I miss the brooding." Left hand said. He paused for a minute. "He's crying."

"?" D looked to where Julian was waist deep in the water. His head was cast down and every few seconds his shoulders hunched up. He was crying. D could hear it now. D turned away for a second. He mulled over the pros and cons of being with Julian. He still had a long way to go in ways of training. He was still a clumsy little cry baby. Who knows how attached he would get to D. What if he lost control again and seriously hurt Julian, worse than this. The taste of his blood was still in D's mouth. The feel of his soft warm skin. The way he felt on the inside, the sounds he made, the smell of his hair.

D suddenly bit his right knuckle to keep from calling out Julian's name. The sharp pain brought him back to his senses. The answer was no. It would always be no. It had to be. He let Julian get himself cleaned up as he made camp. When Julian emerged from the water with a hopeful look on his face, D made it vanish when he simply handed Julian his sword and reminded him he was up to 375. "Why did it suddenly go up one hundred and fifteen strikes?" Julian asked annoyed.

"You took yesterday off." D simply said. "Consequences."

"Another one of your ever priceless lessons." Julian said sarcastically. D just glared at him. And it had to be the first time Julian wasn't afraid of it. He just rolled his eyes and went to his training.

* * *


	5. Chapter 5

Lines and Leads page 5

Julian was learning his lesson. It was painful. Excruciating, in so many ways. His body had healed. There were no marks left. Scratches and bites that would normally mark a normal persons skin forever just disappeared. What did linger was the ache. Physically he was fine, no reason to hurt in such a way. He was only suffering from a broken heart. Unfortunately he had to ride on a horse, straddling the saddle behind the man who had broken his heart. And continued to break it every minute he didn't embrace Julian like he did that night. But D would have to be drugged to do that. And even then Julian doubted D would make the same mistake twice.

So Julian blocked it out. Or at least tried to. While he was awake he concerned himself with little things. He trained. He went over all the useless facts he knew about the world before it was thrust into chaos. And it was easy enough to ignore D when he didn't speak all day. Sleep became the real problem. When Julian slept his mind went straight to D. His dreams were filled with sensations so real he'd wake up screaming - holding his neck from where the D in his dreams had bitten him. Sometimes waking up was the real torture. Being pulled away from D's kisses and the way his cool hands slid along his thighs.

"Why can't we be together?" Julian asked one night when he was done sharpening the sword. D looked at him for a moment. Besides the occasional 'I have to pee' Julian hadn't spoken to him in three months.

"We can't. Just accept it." D answered.

"No." Julian said defiantly. "The _'because I said so'_ excuse isn't going to work on me." He sheathed the sword and set it aside. "I'm **not** a child, I've proven that. And I'm **not** useless--

"That's yet to be proven." Left hand commented.

"You're not ready for a relationship." D said matter of fact.

"You talking about yourself or me." Julian snapped.

"You can't be reliable in a fight if you're constantly worrying about me." D said as he tipped his hat down over his face. He made himself more comfortable against the tree he was resting on.

"Are you joking?" Julian asked. D looked at him from under the rim of his hat. One sharp blue eye staring at Julian in the dark. "Seriously, are you?"

"No."

"I **never** have to worry about _you_ in a fight. I've seen you take down a man twice your size with just your thumb and a slight grunt." Julian said. "You are absolutely amazing. I've been around full breed vampires my entire life and none of them are as strong or smart or fast as you. I've never....never felt this way about anyone else."

"You're young. Eventually you will feel this way again. And when you finish your training you can go and find them." D said.

"Fine." Julian said as he laid down. "You don't want me. I get it."

And that was all Julian said for another month. They killed demons, he did his training. Life went on. Until their horse blew a gyro. Julian yelped when it broke the silence around them with a loud clang. The horse suddenly bucked, sending him tumbling into the sand. D managed to stay on, pulling the reigns and getting the cyber creature under control in less than thirty seconds. He dismounted and looked around for what had caused the horse to start. There was compressed air whistling out of one of it's legs.

"We need a mechanic." D stated the obvious as he attempted to patch the leak. He mentally curse himself for not learning how to fix things like this. It would've saved him time and money to know what could be learned in a few weeks. Julian just got up, dusted himself off and gathered D's sword from where it landed next to him. D watched the younger dunpeal for a moment. He expected a complaint about having to walk, or how he had gotten sand in his mouth when he was thrown off the horse. But Julian just started walking. And D just watched him go for a minute.

"Hey! D jr. Wait for us!" Left hand called. D started walking after Julian, taking the horse slower so it could keep up on it's broken gyro. "Little bastard can really hold a grudge, huh?" he asked.

"Wasn't it you who told me to not get involved with him?" D asked.

"So this is **my** fault? I haven't had a girlfriend in over a thousand years. What the hell would I know about anything like this. I only spoke up when you two were drunk cause I knew you'd hurt the kid or do something **stupid**." Left hand said and snorted. "And look where you are now."

"I'm not going to--

"Yes, you are. You're going to get on your knees and kiss his ass until he lets you fuck him again because you enjoyed it too much when you did." Left hand said matter of fact.

"......"

"Shouldn't have sucked his blood. You know how you get when you do that. It's all you think about and it makes you sloppy." Left hand went on.

"If he's close to me again, I'll do it again." D said.

"Is that why you're not--

"No." D interrupted. "He has more human attributes than vampire. If he can keep out of the sun for most of the day he can pass for human. If nobody knew he could live in a town and lead a normal life."

"Until they notice he's not aging." Left hand pointed out.

"I don't want him to think he's stuck with me because I'm a dunpeal too." D said. Left hand went silent. He didn't laugh at D's sentimentality. Didn't scoff at his self loathing. Didn't point out the fact that Julian thought he was perfect. Left hand couldn't tell him anymore. He'd have to see it for himself.

* * *

By nightfall they hadn't reached a town so they set up camp by a mesa. The night was cold. And the wind that whipped around the rock formation blew the cinders from their fire around. The wind extinguished it moments later and left them all in complete darkness and near complete silence. Julian hugged his knees to his chest and shivered as the wind nearly buried him in the sand. D wasn't as phased by the cold. He sat with his back against the mesa, staring at Julian. Left hand was asleep, or as asleep as the parasite got. Without his voice of reason D found himself doing something stupid.

"Come here." He ordered. Julian jumped and looked up when D's deep voice penetrated the silence around them. He looked at D for an explanation. Surely D didn't expect him to train in such conditions. Julian steeled himself for an argument on the matter, but as he looked at D the older dunpeal just made himself more comfortable against the rock behind him. He brought his knees up and looked at Julian. Julian got up and took a few tentative steps towards D.

"What?" He asked as he held on to his hat with one hand. D grabbed the other and pulled him down to his knees with one hard yank. D then moved his arms around Julian and pulled him in close before he pulled his long cape around himself and Julian.

Julian didn't know how to react to the sudden act of kindness. Lately D had been treating him like a liability. Like as soon as he got a chance he'd leave Julian to fend for himself. D's actions had been scaring him since their night together. The older dunpeal had ignored his pleas and ravished him until he bled. And fed off him until he passed out. But all he did now was hold Julian to his chest. One arm loosely wrapped around his little waist, keeping him in place between D's legs. When D tipped his head down the brim of his hat blocked out the wind. If anyone happened upon them they'd think D was sitting alone. His cape completely covered them both. D would probably awake with a stiff neck but if he didn't mind neither did Julian.

D settled his chin on Julian's shoulder to alleviate some of the strain on his neck. Julian's breath hitched for a moment before he let out a shaky sigh. They sat there in silence for a while. The howl of the wind and the occasional grunt from the horse where the only things that broke that silence. Even though Julian was warm and comfortable he couldn't sleep. D's breathing was so close to his ear. He could even here the faint thump of D's pulse. Both were so soft and low that Julian had to strain to hear them. He tried to just drift off to sleep or at least stop thinking about how he wanted D to touch him more but he found his talkative nature got the better of him.

"D....why are you--

"Quiet." D interrupted as he tightened his hold around Julian's waist. "Sleep."

"But--

"Sleep." D ordered. He used his other hand to push Julian's head back until it rested against his shoulder. Julian didn't resist. He leaned back and turned his head towards D's neck and closed his eyes. Sleep came easier as he inhaled D's light scent. He relaxed against D and drifted off.

* * *

Julian was very aware that D was watching him. He had been all day, ever since he woke up and probably before then. The worse part was that he could actually feel where D was looking. It was like a slight tingling sensation where ever they traveled. God only knows why the older man focused on his fingers for half an hour. First going around his palm and then to each individual finger tip. Was D memorizing every detail of him for some reason? His gaze drifted up Julian's covered arm to his shoulder, slowly over his neck tendon and lingered there at the nape for a few minutes.

By noon it was too hot for Julian and D knew it. Julian had started stumbling around. He fell to his knees twice before D told him they were stopping - to give the horse a break. _'The horse, of course.'_ Julian thought as he kneeled down by a stream. He splashed water on his face and sighed as it cooled his over heated skin. He took his hat off as he sat in the shade and used it to fan himself. He was sitting there for maybe five minutes before he felt D's eyes on him again. Going up and down his legs slowly. What was he looking for? Julian just tried to pretend he didn't notice.

He started looking at the flowers in the tree above him. He just now realized he was sitting under a magnolia tree. The big white blooms giving off their delightful scent. The wind blew, tossing some of the petals down around him. He closed his eyes and sighed. His head stopped hurting. His pulse slowed down but only for a moment. He suddenly became so anxious. His breath coming so fast he had to breathe through his mouth. A sudden jolt ran through him making him open his eyes. He jumped when he saw D was standing in front of him.

"....What?" he asked when D did nothing but stare at him. He realized it was the man's presence that had startled him out his revelry.

"Do you want to be my lover?" D asked. The question threw Julian off guard. D barely said two words over the course of a month. And in three seconds he said six words that completely blew Julian's mind. After a moment Julian just snorted.

"I have a feeling you wouldn't treat me any better than you do now." Julian said as he stood up. He put his hat back on. "I'll find a person who will. It **won't** be you."

"Holy shit." Left hand said astonished. Julian just walked off.

* * *

"He wanted you and you ignored him for months. Now that you want him he's over you. Not to mention he keeps flaunting himself in front of you." Left hand said as he evaluated the situation. D was trying his best to ignore the parasite as he walked along side the horse. Julian was a few steps ahead of them, complaining about the sand that was getting everywhere. "I feel your pain D. I really do. It's been forever since you've fucked anything. And that taste of his blood.....it was so rejuvenating it got rid of some of my wrinkles." He laughed.

"Finally." Julian said. D looked up and saw that they had finally reached a populated town. They had reached two that had been long abandoned and by the looks of them, raided again and again. There were no tools or supplies to be had, anything that wasn't nailed down had been taken or broken. Another three days landed them here. Sol, was what the town was called - it proudly sported a sign with an obviously inaccurate population that only counted 256 people. Even Julian knew there was more than that. There were easily more than four hundred going about their daily lives and walking the busy little streets.

They found the mechanic easy enough. He was a friendly potbellied man that promised to have their horse fixed in three days. After learning that, Julian wondered off to who knows where. D wasn't about to follow him like a love sick puppy. He went to an inn and checked into a room for the night. He sat on the bed for fifteen minutes. He got up, moved to the window and looked down at all the people as they went about their lives. He sat down at the little bistro table and stared into space.

"If you don't go out and find him I'm going to cut myself off and go do it myself." Left hand said. D sucked his teeth and got up. He was out of the room and down on the street in a flash. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Julian's scent was in the air, carried by the wind and people that might have bumped into him. He headed north and soon came to a part of the town alive with music and oddly joyful people. D could smell the sharp scent of alcohol everywhere. There were at least five bars on the one street alone. He tried to calm his own breathing so he could hear better. He stopped in his tracks when he heard Julian's laughter. He made a 'B' line for the bar on his left.

He flung open the doors but his presence went completely unnoticed by the drunk people inside. The music inside muffled the sound of the door banging into the wall behind it. D scanned the dimly lit smoke filled room as he ventured in and soon spotted Julian talking to some random guy. Shoulder length blood hair and blue eyes. Smiling, touching his arm affectionately and occasional taking a sip out of the drink in his hand. The man leaned over with a confident smirked and whispered something in Julian's ear - to which Julian giggled and smiled at the man in a way that made D's blood boil.

What was wrong with him? D had never felt such a powerful surge of emotion. He didn't even know the name of the sensation currently coursing through him as he watched the man put his pale, hairy arm around Julian and pull him closer. D was across the room in less than a second. Taking the man's wrist and snapping it like a twig. He shrieked and fell to the floor, clutching his shattered bones.

"D!" Julian barely had time to say his one syllable name before D grabbed him by his bicep and pulled him from the building. D pushed the back door out of his way and led Julian in to the alley. The cats that were eating their dinner back there hissed at him for scaring them. D ignored them and stopped when Julian resisted. "Let go of me you son of bitch!" he growled. He managed to raise his arm and bite D's hand. He was a little surprised by the sudden pain but he didn't lash out at Julian like he usually would when bitten. He just took Julian's other arm in his free hand and held the younger dunpeal against a very solid brick wall. Julian's head swam for a minute when the back of his skull collided with it. When his vision cleared he was eye to eye with D. It was then he realized D was holding him off the ground. He wiggled his feet experimentally to see how far off the concrete he was. It didn't even graze the very tip of his feet. "What--

Julian's question was cut off when D kissed him. Tenderly at first but when Julian kissed back D pressed harder. He slid his tongue past Julian's lips and found his eagerly waiting on the other side. Julian's warmth was addictive. With more human attributes than vampire he had all sorts of things that drove D wild when their kiss deepened. A more human digestive system led Julian to ingest all sorts of things that made his breath taste sweet. Things that D had long since forgotten were so tasty. He must've been drinking something with cherries in it. Their sweet tangy flavor still lingered on Julian's palette.

"Mm...." Julian let out a little mewl. Most half breeds and vampires had long since become bored with things like kissing. Julian nipped at D's lips and sucked playfully on his tongue. The jolts it sent through D sent him into over drive. His normally slow heart beat kicked into high gear - arousal making his blood pump south. Animalistic need making his hands rip open Julian's shirt. More of his heat radiated on to D once his chest was exposed. D finally pulled away from the kiss to lean down to Julian's chest. "Unh! We're gonna do this here?" he asked. Julian's got his answer when D laved over one nipple before taking it between his lips and teeth. D let go of his arms so he could use his hands for other things. Julian dropped to the ground and D keep going lower. Unfastening Julian's pants and pulling them down and off one leg before he stood back up. D picked Julian up, wrapped his legs around his waist and entered Julian before he had a chance to even breathe.

"Uh."

"Yes." Julian screamed and held D tighter. It still hurt. It hurt a lot as D pushed in and started thrusting without waiting for him to adjust. But as D continued Julian felt a sudden swell of pleasure. It got easier to receive him. And it started to feel good as D kissed and bit his neck. The world melted away into tactile sensation. Cool hands working him until he screamed in ecstasy. His climax coming fast because D didn't deny him. And a few minutes and a couple of hard thrusts later D reached his apex. Julian started when D sunk his teeth into his neck tendon and fed off him. Julian just put his hand on the back of D's head and held him close.

Julian couldn't remember what happened after that. He blacked out. When he came to he was in a bed. Nude, but tucked comfortably into the warm covers. He looked around the unfamiliar room before he spotted D sitting at the bistro table not too far away from the bed. "D..." he started.

"Go back to sleep." D said. Julian just smiled and laid down. He stared at D before his eye lids became too heavy and sleep took him.

* * *


	6. Chapter 6

Lines and Leads page 6

Julian cried out in pain when one of the manic vampires bit his arm. He whirled and punched her in the face as hard as he could. It sent her reeling but her fangs tore his shirt and his flesh. He fell to his knees and inadvertently clipped up a male vampire coming at him. He gripped his arm to try and stop the bleed but the smell had reached the rest of the pack. The particularly difficult head vampire looked away from his struggle with D and bolted towards the easy meal. "Crap." Julian hissed and forced his wings to form. He cut down scores of them with their razor sharp edges but the head vampire jumped over his attack and managed loop his arm around Julian's neck from behind. He roared in triumph and summoned his followers to feed.

"Julian!" D called out as he rushed to him. Julian managed to kick high enough to catch the head vampire with the toe of his boot. He got free and took flight just as D ran through the the vampire with his sword. The vampire didn't even realize he had been vivisected until he was looking at his legs from where he fell to the ground. He hissed at D until D put his sword through his temple. With their leader dead the other vampires looked at each other, unsure of what to do. A few charged at D only to be cut down like weeds. The ones that tried to run were met in the middle by the edge of Julian's wings. The last one left was a fairly young male that looked back and forth between D and Julian. He went for Julian, smelling his blood and going into a frenzy. Julian shrugged and retracted his wings when he saw the gleam of D's sword sever the vampires head. It tumbled to the ground, coming to a stop at Julian's feet.

"Are you alright?" D asked as he sheathed his sword.

"I'm fine." Julian assured him. D took a closer look at the wound on his arm and frowned.

"Let's get you cleaned up."

"Let's get paid first." Julian suggested. D gave him a little smile that made Julian blush. D dropped his sword in Julian's arms and they made their way back to the town. It wasn't far away from where the horde of vampires had been nesting. They had been using the town as a blood bank. Picking off residents that dared walk the streets at night. After they got paid they checked into the local inn. Julian sighed as he entered their room. His arm still ached dully and it had yet to heal completely. D noticed the way he winced as he started to take off his clothes.

"It'll get infected if you do nothing kid." Left hand said. D simply presented his wrist to Julian.

"If you feed off me you'll heal faster." D suggested.

"You need your blood more than I do." Julian said. "I am hungry though." D leaned over and gave him a quick kiss before he left the room to find his little lover something to eat. Julian unsheathed the sword and cleaned the blood from it while he waited for D to return. Making sure to get all the blood and guts off the handle. Even though all the vampires had been slain and they got their money he still felt uneasy. Something was nagging at the back of his mind but he was sure he didn't forget anything. Maybe he was sensing something. "Lot of good a sixth sense does me when I don't know how to use it or what I'm sensing."

* * *

"What's this?" Julian asked when D presented a simple brown box to him. D just insisted he take it. Julian set it down on the ground pulled the flaps back. Inside was filled with shredded paper. Julian looked at D for a moment. He suddenly got the feeling that this was some kind of test. He started to think D placed some kind of trap in the box. "Did you get me a present?"

"Something like that." D said. Julian couldn't read him. Not that he usually could. He raised an eye brow at the older dunpeal for a moment before he looked back in the box. He swallowed hard and began digging through the paper. He gasped when his hand connected with something cold and metallic. He grabbed a hold of it and pulled it out. Julian looked at the odd item. Flipping through his mental encyclopedia for a proper identification.

"A gun?" He asked as he looked up at D. "You got me a gun?"

"We can't both have swords." D said. "This way we're dually prepared for what ever comes our way." He watched Julian for a moment. It had been a while since the little dunpeal got something new. He was already looking it over, checking the barrel and running his index finger over the trigger. D could see him mouthing the word to all the parts as he inspected them and went over how to work it.

"Looks good on ya, kid." Left hand said. Julian pressed his thumb on the charger and aimed the pistol at a tree not too far away from them.

"You really think so?" Julian asked. He squeezed the trigger and the kick back made his arms fly up from the force. The trunk of the tree seemed to explode as the compressed air from the gun shattered it to splinters. "Whoa." He whistled. D reached in the box and pulled out a holster. Julian stood up and D fastened it around his narrow waist. "Thanks, baby....er D." D flicked his nose with the tip of his finger and Julian giggled. D rarely let Julian call him anything besides his name. He didn't get D's dislike of affectionate monikers. Left hand had taken to calling him 'Jules'. Despite D's dislike of it, Julian leaned up, stood on the tip of his toes and placed a kiss on D's lips. D gave him a small smile in return. Julian was just grateful he was looking at D when he did it. Otherwise he would have missed it.

"Your training is now pulling this from the holster, charging it, and firing it in time to save your life. You also have to improve your aim. Hitting the broad side of a tree isn't that impressive." D said. Julian stuck his tongue out at D and it earned him another flick on the nose. He knew D wasn't really annoyed with him. When he was really upset with Julian's behavior he barred them from physical contact.

"Can do." Julian said as he looked over his new toy.

* * *

Julian knew something was wrong. It had been nagging at the back of his brain ever since their night in the vampire infested town. Sometimes the feeling would go away, and other times it was all he could think about. D had tried to help him figure out what his new sense was. One night Julian spent at least five hours looking up at the sky. When Left hand asked what he was looking for Julian gasped like he was coming out of a trans. When D asked what happened Julian told him he didn't know.

D studied the younger dunpeal as he slept, curled up at his side. Julian's adoration had awaken emotions he had long ago stopped feeling. The most prominent now was worry. D had gotten used to having Julian around. "You'd miss him if he went crazy and you were forced to kill him." Left hand interrupted his thoughts. D frowned.

"I would never kill him." D said.

"That's strange. Cause when you first met him that was all that was on your mind." Left hand said. "And you always say you live to rid the world of vampires."

"So?"

"So, what happens when there are no vampires left but you and him? Murder, suicide?" Left hand asked. D used one finger to poke his palm. Even though the parasite was recessed he'd still feel it. D twitched when Julian suddenly gasped. He pushed away from D as he scrambled to his feet. D just watched him for a moment as he stumbled around frantically. He looked up through a clearing in the trees and stared up at the sky.

"Julian?" D stood up and moved closer.

"I know....I know what it is." He mumbled. "Run!" He suddenly yelled and took off as fast as he could.

"What?"

"Run! D, run!" Julian said. He moved back and took D's hand and pulled him with him. As they moved D started to hear a strange noise. He was sure he heard it once before. Years ago when Julian first came into his life. The sound started out indistinguishable from the wind. As it grew louder the sky suddenly lit up. D doubled his efforts to get out of range of whatever was coming down on them. He glanced back just in time to see a fireball crash into where they had made camp for the night. The trees were set a flame and some were blasted out of the way of the object. The dirt and grass were thrust up in a tidal wave of debris. Julian manifested his wings and grabbed D's hand before he flew straight up to avoid it. But D was caught in the wave and Julian was dragged down with him.

* * *

D groaned as he clawed his way up. It wasn't the first time he had to dig himself out of a make shift grave but the task was made more difficult with Julian in tow. The younger dunpeal had been knocked unconscious during their crash to the ground. So every couple of feet he had to stop and pull Julian after him. He sighed when Julian regained consciousness.

"What happened?" He asked.

"You saved our bacon, kid." Left hand said.

"We're almost out." D informed them. With Julian awake he was able to dig faster. They both gasped for air when they finally resurfaced. Left hand however got a voluntary mouthful of the grass and dirty and licked his lips afterward.

"What hit us?" Julian asked as he dusted himself off. D just stared at the giant crater that used to be their camp site.

"Good question." D said as they started towards the smoldering hole in the ground. It was at least a mile in diameter and in the center sat a pod not so different from the one Julian had arrived in. D knew his memory hadn't faded. The ship that Julian came in wasn't nearly as big as the one before them.

"Oh wow." Julian said as they stared down at it. He took a step forward and looked down at what he had put his foot in. "Oh..." D looked too when he heard the falter in Julian's voice. "The horse." He said when he realized he had stepped in a piece of the unfortunate cyber creature. A piece of his leg and hoof to be exact. "Oh..." D noticed the change in Julian's color. He turned a little green and he covered his mouth with the back of his hand in an attempt not to throw up. "Do you..." He swallowed and cleared his throat as he moved out of the puddle of minced horse. "Do you think there is somebody in there?" He asked as he turned his eyes back to the pod.

"Were you the only dunpeal up there?" D asked as he unsheathed his sword. "If so, then there are vampires in there. And you know what we have to do." He looked back at Julian. Julian just stared at him for a moment before he got what D was trying to tell him.

"Yes." Julian answered as he gripped his gun. They moved closer but stopped when the ship's door opened. D stopped and put his arm out to guard Julian from what ever came out. All Julian saw was a shadow. It leapt from the ship and shot out into the night. He looked around quickly, trying to get a beat on it. He charged his gun with a flick of his thumb and put his back to D's. D suddenly howled and a sword came through his back from the other side narrowly missing Julian's neck. He still felt the hot rush of blood run down his shoulder from a paper thin cut that did form when the sword was retracted. "D!" he shrieked and turned around just in time to catch him as he crumbled to the ground. "Oh god...." Julian gasped as he watched the blood stream from the wound in his chest.

"Hello there." He looked up slowly. Afraid to meet eyes with the person talking to him. He recognized the voice. He knew it all too well. But the sheer fact that the person was standing before him was nearly impossible. "Julian, my little one."

"Mother." He said. His wide eyes turned into a glare when he saw the bloody sword in her hand. It was D's sword. How could she have possibly been so fast and strong as to get it out of his hands and run him through with it? Doing such a thing seemed so out of place for the gentle looking woman. "Why?"

"For you my love." Charlotte said. Her hazel eyes going red as she looked down at D. "Your parents are here for you." Meier made his appearance. Swooping down beside his bride and draping one arm of his cape around her. Julian just stared at them until D coughed up blood. Julian held him close before he manifested his wings and fled. "Let him go. We've got things to do." Charlotte said to Meier as she handed him D's sword. She moved back towards their pod.

* * *

"Wake up. Wake up damn it!" Julian screamed as he poked D's left palm. He had flown for hours, finally landing when D stopped breathing.

"I'm up, I'm up!" Left hand said. "Jesus kid, what the hell happened!?" he asked when he saw the horrible state of his host.

"He was stabbed. I think they got his heart. There's too much blood. You have to help him!" Julian said frantically.

"Get a grip kid!" Left hand yelled at him. "He's gonna die if you don't get a grip."

"Ok." Julian said and took a deep breath. "Ok."

"Find some water." Left hand instructed.

"But D...I don't want to leave him--

"He'll be fine until you get back." Left hand said. "Put me face down in the dirt." Julian did what he was told before he used his trained senses to locate a nearby stream. He used his gun holster as a make shift canteen and hurried back to D. "Give it here, kid." Left hand said and opened wide. Julian carefully poured the water into him. "Ok, now bury him."

"What?" Julian gasped.

"He needs the rest below earth. Not for long. Come on, dig a hole." Left hand demanded. Julian started to dig with his hands at first but when he tore two finger nails clean off he used his gun to blow a hole in the ground. "Good, drop him in." Julian grabbed D and pushed him in the shallow grave.

"Now what?" Julian asked.

"Cover us. Stay out of sight and wait. If he's not up by tomorrow night...." Left hand trailed off as he looked at Julian's worried face. Julian shook his head and began filling in the dirt.

* * *

Julian tried not to cry. He had already done so for hours. Around mid day he threw up, unable to hold it back anymore. With nothing in his stomach he dry heaved and shook uncontrollably. He paced back and forth until his legs collapsed beneath him. By night fall the next night he was hugging his knees, shivering as the cold night air crept into his hiding place up an old moss covered tree. He saw a few wild animals wander into the clearing where he buried D. Some scratched at the loose dirt before moving on. Julian's stomach twisted into knots as he watched all the possible food come and go. With nothing to comfort him in the quiet night he resorted to an old habit. He dusted off his right thumb as best he could before he caught the digit between his lips and sucked it gently as he waited.

What would D think if he saw him now? Hiding in a tree, sucking his thumb and crying like a lost child. He remembered how his mother used to comfort him when he was scared. She would pull him close and he'd rest his head on her bosom as she stroked his hair. She had never looked down on his thumb sucking habit. She had coddled him for two hundred years and look where it got him. He jumped when the dirt shifted from below. He watched as D's pale fingers emerged from the dark soil. First one hand then the other. They went flat on the surface and D used the slight leverage to pull himself from his shallow grave.

"Twice in one day, that's gotta be some kind of record." Left hand said. D just growled out harsh breaths. Julian came down from his space and watched in disbelief as D freed himself.

"Oh my god....it worked." He said as he looked at the healed flesh that used to be an open gash in his chest. "It really worked." D looked at him sharply and Julian jumped. His normally soft periwinkle eyes had gone blood red.

"Watch it kid or he'll-- mmph!" Left hand's warning was silenced when D gripped Julian's shoulders. Before Julian could blink D tore into the nearly healed sliver on the side of his neck. Licking up the dried on blood before feasting on the fresh pints that flowed from Julian.

"Ah!" Julian gasped. He quickly retrieved his gun and whacked D on the back of the head with it as hard as he could. He let go of Julian and the younger dunpeal took a few steps back. He pointed his gun at D as he collected himself. The bloodlust dissipating as he recognized the man in front of him.

"Julian." He said as he wiped his mouth. Julian just stood his ground. His stance shaky from fatigue and blood loss. "I'm sorry." D apologized as he got closer. He easily took the gun from Julian and caught him in his arms when the little brunette collapsed and started sobbing. "I'm sorry." D repeated as he held Julian close.


	7. Chapter 7

Lines and Leads page 7

They were back where they started. D realized this as he watched Julian sleep. He had been in and out of consciousness for the past several weeks. When he did wake D made sure he had something for Julian to eat. They barely talked, they didn't have time to. As soon as Julian ate he fell back asleep. He still didn't know what happened after D was revived. D had taken him to a well populated town to recover. And as D looked out at the sky he noticed several other ships falling to the Earth. He didn't have to go investigate them - he knew what was in those pods. More vampires. And they seemed to be landing closer and closer to where they were hiding out. Julian was still too weak to travel and even if he wasn't they no longer had their horse. And D hadn't even begun to look for a new sword-

"We're screwed." Left hand interrupted D's thoughts. He just looked at the parasite for a moment, waiting for him to continue. "Those vampires are getting closer. It's like they know where we are." Left hand was right. "Do you think..."

"What?" D asked when he trailed off.

"Do you think the kid is somehow communicating with them?"

"How?" D asked as he glanced over at Julian. As he lay there on the bed, curled up on his side he looked dead to the world. The only thoughts passing through his brain were the fevered dreams of REM sleep.

"His head aches. Maybe they are some kind of ESP." Left hand said. D just stared at him for a moment. "What? Stranger things have happened." D stood up from his spot and moved over to the bed. He gently placed Left hand on Julian's forehead as he sat down. Julian stirred in his sleep from the contact.

"D..." he sighed out as he leaned into the light touch.

"Hm..." Left hand hummed as he tried to read Julian. "This isn't working. He's got so many useless thoughts in here it'll take me years to sort through them all."

"Ah!" Julian suddenly gasped as he woke up. He sat up slowly and rubbed his head. And that's when D heard it. A beep so quiet it wouldn't have been heard if his hearing wasn't so sensitive. When Julian raised his hand to rub his head, his opal ring passed right by D's ear. D grabbed Julian's wrist and held it still. He took a closer look at the ring, squinting into the opaque stone until his eyes caught sight of something. A little red light flashed just under the surface. "Ow! D, easy." Julian said when D pulled the ring off his finger. "What are you doing with-" D covered his mouth quickly and pointed to the ring. D stuck his nail between the stone and the base and without much force the stone popped off to reveal some sort of mechanism housed beneath it.

For a moment they both stared at it in shock. Had that been there the whole time? How had they not noticed it before. That ring had been near D's ear before and he hadn't heard a thing. Usually Julian was talking, or moaning, or screaming too loud and D was either tuning him out or encouraging him to be louder. Julian watched D as he rushed from their room. D ran down to the street and looked around for a moment. He soon spotted what he was looking for and made his way over. With little effort he crushed the ring in his palm and tossed the remains down a sewer grate.

When D returned to the room he found Julian with his knees draw up to his chest, huddled into a corner of the bed. He looked up at D when he closed and locked the door. "What was that?"

"A transmitter." D answered. "Not unlike the ones we use on a hunt."

"..."

"How long have you had that ring?" D asked as he moved over to the bed.

"Since...ever." Julian said as he held his legs tighter. "Opal was my birth stone. Mother- Charlotte gave it to me as soon as my hand was big enough to fit it. She used to recite the poem to me before I fell asleep." He looked up at the older dunpeal. "You have to believe me D, I had no idea- I would never call them down here." D just stared at him for a moment. He wasn't so sure Julian was completely innocent. Left hand had never sensed anything but the truth from him. Julian's eyes drooped and his head nodded for a second. "D..." He sat on the edge of bed and pulled Julian close. He raised his wrist and bit into it before he offered it to Julian. The younger dunpeal accepted it without hesitation. Licking at the weeping wound until D pulled it away from him.

"Go back to sleep." D instructed. Julian clung to his arm for a moment.

"Lay down with me." He pleaded. D sighed as he situated himself on the mattress. Julian eagerly cuddled up beside him and nearly squealed with glee when D put his arm around him and pulled him closer. After a moment he lifted his arm and licked up the excess blood from his wrist. When he looked down Julian was already asleep again. D just rested back into the pillows and closed his eyes.

* * *

D woke with a start. He wasn't even aware that he had fallen asleep. He looked around, trying to determine how long he had been out. He sat up and immediately noticed that Julian wasn't by his side. "Where's the kid?" Left hand asked. D pushed himself out of bed and scanned their hotel room. Julian wasn't there. The bathroom was empty and the kitchenette wasn't big enough for him to disappear into. "He left." D also noticed that Julian shoes and hat were gone.

"..." D just continued to look around in disbelief. Julian didn't have the guts to leave him. Especially with his parents back on the planet and looking for them. But where was he? D jumped out of his thoughts when Julian came through the door. "Where were you!" He growled as he rushed to Julian. The younger dunpeal jumped, nearly fumbling the long package in his arms. He smiled despite the fact that D was glaring at him.

"I went out and got you something." Julian said as he moved past D, to the table. He kicked off his boots and tossed his hat in one of the chairs before he turned back to D with the package. "Open it." He said as he held it out. D eyed it for a second before he took it from Julian and tore the light brown packaging paper from around it.

D stared at the sword in awe. It was nearly identical to the one he had before. The sheath was a different color although the dark red did look very nice. He ran his hand over it before he grasped the handle and pulled it from the sheath. Even in the dim light of the room it gleamed. It was absolutely perfect. The same weight and length of his old one. D managed to tear his eyes away from it's flawless craftsmanship to look at Julian. The younger dunpeal blushed and smiled as he clasped his hands behind his back.

"Do you like it?" He asked. D just slide it back in it's holder. "The blacksmith said you could bring it back and he'd customize it for you." D set it on the table. Julian began to worry when D just stood there. "If you don't like it-" D suddenly grabbed him by the collar and fear raced through Julian for a moment before D pulled him into a kiss. It had been so long since D had taken the time to really kiss him. It made Julian's knees buckle. Or maybe he had just over exerted himself, carrying that heavy sword back to their room. Either way Julian's head spun as D circled an arm around his back. "Mm..." D's skin was always so cool. His finger tips were like little ice cubes as they made patterns on the small of his back. What perplexed Julian was how D's mouth could be so warm. D quickly unbuttoned Julian's shirt with his other hand and brushed his lips down the side of his neck. Julian leaned his head back and braced himself for the bite he thought was coming.

"Get undressed." D whispered in his ear. His tone of voice sent a shiver down Julian's spine. Julian tried to remember the last time they had sex as he moved to do what he was told. When he couldn't remember he wondered if it had been so long ago. They had been doing a lot of demon hunting before his parents came back to Earth. And that was already two months ago. Julian shrugged it off as he stepped out of his pants and crawled on to the bed. He looked over at D as he riffled through his own discarded clothes. When he retrieved what he was looking for he walked to the bed. He lifted one eye brow at Julian's awkward position.

"What?" Julian asked when he noticed the odd look on D's face. D didn't realize their sex life had become so mechanical that Julian automatically assumed the position on his hands and knees.

"Nothing." D answered as he pushed Julian's hip gently. The younger dunpeal turned and sat down so D could sit next to him. When he did Julian thrust himself on D, kissing him ardently and moving his hands down D's abdomen. D suddenly pushed him back. "What's your hurry?" he asked.

"I...I don't have one. I thought you wanted to-

"We can take our time." D assured him. Julian smiled when D did. He slid his hands up D's chest, smirking when his fingers grazed over hard nipples and flexed muscles. He wrapped his arms around D's shoulders and tangled his fingers in his hair. When Julian looked up at him D still had that little smile on his face. Julian wanted to make a joke about the strain of him holding it for so long. He must've really liked the sword. Or maybe just the gesture Julian made by getting it for him. Either way Julian didn't care as long as it kept D looking at him like that. His blue eyes a light with adoration and gratitude. He really was a very beautiful man. Julian felt so lucky to have earned such a man as his mate. Even luckier now that D was about to claim him again.

D kissed him again. Moving his tongue languidly over Julian's. It made the little dunpeal moan and writhe against D. He knew Julian found affection deeply satisfying. It didn't necessarily arouse him, Julian just loved getting what D didn't usually give much of in the first place. His moan turned into a little squeal as D moved down his neck again. He licked and nipped Julian's warm skin until he noticed the man was arching off the bed.

"Please, D...oh please." He begged. Now that D thought about it, slow and passionate was torture after so long without intimacy. Even he was growing anxious. He pushed Julian's legs open and up towards his chest. He took a moment to take in the erotic sight before him. The blood underneath Julian's skin rushed through him and made his pale skin blush pink. D could smell it along with Julian's already intoxicating scent of arousal. "What is that?" Julian asked when D finally revealed what he had gotten from his clothes pocket. D held up the vial so Julian could see it.

"This is something for you." D answered as he uncorked it. "I know it hurts when I enter you. The saliva I usually use dries up too quickly and it becomes uncomfortable." He poured the viscous liquid on his index and middle finger before he spread it over Julian's entrance.

"Ah! It's cold!" he yelped. He could handle the chill of D's fingers but the oil was cold as well. He felt one of D's fingers slip inside and he keened.

"Better?" D asked before he added another. Julian just gasped as he was worked open. D poured some of the oil directly on his erection and twitched a little when he found it was in fact very cold. He re-corked the vial and set it aside. He rubbed the liquid over himself, letting out a quiet moan as the action sent a few pleasurable tingles through him. He positioned himself between Julian's legs and leaned over him on one hand. He pulled his fingers from Julian and he whined.

"Please D. I know we can take it slow but it's been too long. I can't take anymore of-AH!" Julian's pleading was cut short when D slid into him. The oil making it easy to slide in all the way. "Ah!" Julian gripped D's biceps and curled his legs around his back. "Oh God!" he cried out as D withdrew and plunged back in. Julian just screamed and tightened his grip as D continued. He had never felt anything so good. As he squeezed his eyes shut he saw stars. D's thrusts were so powerful, made even more so with the ease the oil created. He struck that sweet spot inside Julian so many times the younger dunpeal could already feel his orgasm mounting. D felt it too. Julian was already so tight around him. The heat radiating off Julian's skin prickling against his own. For the first time his movements weren't fueled by blind lust. "Unh." D looked down at Julian when he arched his head back. He stilled for a moment when he found Julian's face was streaked with tears. "Don't stop..."

"But-

"Don't stop." Julian begged. "It's so good. I can't help this." He gestured towards his face. D reached up and wiped some on the tears away with his palm and Julian let out a laugh. "Don't keep me waiting. I want you." D picked up his pace at those words. Resuming his ardent thrusts and coupling it with a few hard strokes of his hand over Julian's erection. "That's it." He gasped. "Right there...it's so-Unh god!" Julian tossed his head back and arched up. His body went rigid before it twitched and convulsed. "Ahh!" D was surprised by Julian's scream. He didn't know his lover could be so loud. "D! Yes!" His orgasm hit him hard. His toes curled and D found himself climaxing into Julian as he got impossibly tight. As usual D sunk his fangs into his lover and licked up a few drops of his blood. Julian's arms circled his shoulders and held him close. "Perfect...you're so perfect..." he whispered.


End file.
